muscle tightness and weakness

[dsp2011]

Hi Everyone,

I'm so happy to have found this group. After months of not feeling well, having neurological symptoms (tingles, numbness, pins and pricks) and muscle tightness and weakness, I finally found that I was vitamin D deficient (every other tests -- including MRIs of my brain and c-spine -- I've done came back normal). I'm taking 6,000 iu of OTC D3 everyday (plus making sure I get sunlight whenever I can). I read that this is no different than (perhaps better) the doctor prescribed 50,000 iu  weekly pill. Can someone confirm or add to this?

I'm feeling much better than I did a week ago. I began taking my supplements last week. But the tightness
and weakness in my legs and arms are slow to respond. Of course, I have read that this takes time, 6-12 months. I'm just wondering if this is consistent with what everyone is experiencing. I basically feel like I've just worked out,
when I haven't been able to go to the gym in months. Some days are better than others. I'm athletic build and was working out a lot before all of this. I'm wondering if this why my muscles are so weakened from this lack vitamin D.
I read somewhere that folks who are physically active requires even more units of vitamin D. Anyway, I can't wait to return to normal. This has really affected my quality of life to say the least!

Thanks for listening

[lesweet1971]

Hi!  Did you get your Vit D defienciency sorted out and did you feel better afterwards?  How long did it take?  Thanks!

[gadgetsmidnight]

I hope your numbers come up quickly.  As for the doctors and VDD.  I was the first adult my doctor had ever tested for VDD.  I had asked him after doing some research here.  He honestly was completely shocked that mine came in so low.  He now has been testing much more regular.  Still, it has taken my verbal verification of symptom improvement and those of others to make him more of a believer that VDD can cause a host of symptoms.  A

Although you can't be 100% sure that all  your symptoms are VDD related, when you start getting and maintaining  normal numbers start monitoring all your symptoms to see what seem to be improving.  Give it time.  Research shows that for some it can take up to 12 months after reaching normal levels for all symptoms to resolve if they were related to VDD.

[Phyllis2010]

I hope you'll find, as I did, that by getting your levels up it helps to differentiate what's VDD versus other stuff. As I mentioned, I do have other things going on that vitamin D can't cure, like my back issues, but it sure helps. I also did not begin with a terribly low level, something else we have in common, my initial level was 20. However, like you I'm an avid exerciser, very active. Good luck and let us know how your're doing.

[dsp2011]

Thank you both for your replies. I'm encouraged to hear that you have recovered around the 40s. What worries me is the question, is it really just VDD? I suppose time will tell. I will be getting a new doctor and check up soon. Though all the doctors I have seen so far, has not even mentioned VDD. And with everything coming back normal, I was getting nothing (almost don't expect) from them. My levels came in at 23. It's not terribly low. It seems a lot of people have way lower levels, and yet my symptoms were/are all over the place and my leg, arm muscles absolutely weakened and in pain. I have read that everyone's different of course. But I wonder if this is it.  Since taking my daily dosages, I have felt better, and been getting twitches and whatnot that others seem to also get after starting supplementation.  In any case, the goal now is to try to hit those higher levels! Thanks!

[Phyllis2010]

Welcome. My symptoms were somewhat similar to yours though confounded by back issues (pinched nerve, DDD, stenosis, osteoporosis) and T2 weighted hyperintensities on brain MRI attributed to migraine or microvascular ischemia. I too was an avid gym goer who was unable to workout for months due to exercise intolerance/muscle weakness. I've given you my history because it has taken me about 1 1/2 years to get back into shape and I'm still not where I was, though I'm older and have other issues besides D. My muscle tolerance/acitivity level whatever you want to call it markedly increases once my D levels hit 40; however, I have problems keeping my vitamin D in the therapeutic range. I had problems tolerating the 50,000 IU dose but I do just fine with D3 gel caps taken with meals -- I did have to gradually increase my dose, however. Even my once skeptical neurologist has done a complete turn around on vitamin D saying the ancedotal evidence is in and some patients, like me, experience dramatic turnarounds, apparently they've all seen it but don't have the studies to back it up or be able to advise about dosage formats etc. Good luck with your recovery.

[gadgetsmidnight]

Welcome to our forum.  I am so glad that they have found a potential answer to your problem.  I can't say that the OTC 6000iu is no different than the rx 50,000iu, but what I have read makes me believe that you body is better able to process the OTC version.

I had a lot of muscle pain, weakness and the sort.  I don't think it has to do with the bulk of your muscle.  I am not a gym goer, but up until the last several years I was in reasonable shape.  I dont know what your VDD started out as...mine was 11, but for me it took until I was in the 40's before I felt somewhat better.  I think once you start to get normal numbers your body starts the healing process.  You do have to maintain those "good" numbers for your body to continue to get better.